Traffic chaos as city employees hold strike

Many of Rome's 24,000 city employees are engaging in a 24-hour strike over potential cuts to their salaries, causing widespread disruption in the capital on Friday 6 June.

The strike involves the closure of many municipal offices including kindergartens, creches, libraries, social care centres and even the Capitoline Museums.

Unions representing the workers say they are striking over fears that they will lose an “average of €300-€400 a month” from their salaries. However in a letter published on the city website, the mayor of Rome Ignazio Marino writes that his employees' salaries will not be touched.

The absence of traffic police has resulted in congestion around the city, particularly on major roads leading to the centre, while a demonstration by city workers has led to numerous bus diversions in the area around the Mouth of Truth.

The strike comes the same week as a report from Sat Nav maker TomTom which lists Rome as the eighth most congested city in the world.

For full traffic updates see Muoversi a Roma website.